Post on 29-May-2018
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
1/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Winter 2009
Conservation continues on next page
AquilegiaNewsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society
. . . dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora
CONSERVATION CORNERPARTNERSHIPSAn Introduction to the Bureau of Land Managements Botany Program
By Peter Gordon and Carol Dawson
Editors Note: The goals of the Colorado Native Plant
Society are shared by many government agencies, as well as by
private organizations and individuals. Conservation of
Colorados unique and special plant life cannot be accomplished
without their efforts.
This is the first in a series of articles highlighting the
programs, goals, and accomplishments of our many partners.
We begin with the Bureau of Land Management, manager of
nearly one in every eight acres of land and habitat in Colorado.
Nationwide, the BLM (a part of the Department of the Interior) is
responsible for the management and conservation of resources
on 256 million surface acres, as well as 700 million acres of
subsurface mineral estate. These public lands make up about 13
percent of the total land surface of the United States and more
than 40 percent of all land managed by the Federal government.
The Bureau of Land Management manages nearly 8.4 million
acres of public land in Colorado that supports a wide variety of
topographic, climatic, geologic and hydrological conditions. This
leads to a high diversity of plant life on those lands, ranging from
dry saltbush and sagebrush communities, pinyon-juniper
communities, spruce-fir and alpine plant communities, and
riparian plant communities across a large elevational gradient.
BLMs botany program in Colorado integrates many goals to
reflect the plant diversity on the lands BLM manages, but for
simplicity, they can be grouped into three main categories which
reflect Bureau priorities: (1) Managing healthy native plan
communities, (2) Managing special status plant species, and (3
Managing non-native invasive plant species. This article wil
focus specifically on introducing BLM plant conservation
initiatives using a small selection of our special status plan
projects as examples.
Eight of the 13 plant species in Colorado protected by the
Endangered Species Act are found on BLM lands. This makes
the collection of robust quantitative information regarding the
location, life history, and status of these species very important
In addition to its role in managing for Federally listed plant
species, BLM designates sensitive species status for other rare
species also found on BLM lands. According to BLM policy
proactive conservation measures are put in place to reduce or
eliminate threats to Bureau sensitive species, and these species
are also considered in many cases to ensure that managemen
ContentsAbout the Society.................................................................23Announcements.....................................................9-11, 14-22Articles............................................................................12-13Book Review..........................................................................7Calendar................................................................................24Conservation Corner...........................................................1-3Whos in that Name? ..........................................................8-9Workshops..........................................................................4-6
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
2/24
Page 2 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Figure 1. Penstemon harringtoniiflowers (Photograph: PeterGordon)
Conservation continues on next page
actions do not cause the need for these species to be listed in the
future.
Many of BLMs conservation efforts for special status plants
of Colorado include trend monitoring projects. This involves
gathering robust quantitative data from rare plant populations on
BLM managed lands. The Colorado State Office works closely
with BLM field office staff, as well as staff from organizations
like the Denver Botanic Gardens, Betty Ford Alpine Gardens,
and Colorado State Parks Natural Areas Program to facilitate
this work. These plant monitoring projects are particularly
important as changes to BLMs special status species
management policy now require quantitative population data for
any designated sensitive species. The three projects outlined here
include continuing monitoring work done on two BLM sensitive
species (Penstemon harringtonii Penland and Penstemon
grahamii Keck), and a Federal candidate species (Penstemon
debilis OKane and Anderson).
Penstemon harringtonii is a G3/S3 ranked plant endemic to
the greater Vail valley region of western Colorado (see figure 1).
Its range spans roughly 82 by 48 miles and includes over 100
occurrences tracked by CNHP. It is designated as a sensitive
species for both BLM and the U.S. Forest Service, and a number
of occurrences have the additional protection of being within
BLM Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. Outside of
BLMs work with this species, no robust quantification of P.
harringtonii populations exists and there is a lack of information
regarding the true numbers of this plant. The aim of this project
is to use statistically sound techniques giving a better
understanding of the status of this species. Since 2006, the
Bureau of Land Management has researched P. harringtoni
numbers through simple random sampling using a grid-cel
method that incorporates sample size calculations into the
experimental design. To date, ten occurrences have been visited
with results suggesting that population sizes have been
underestimated by techniques used in the past. Management
decisions based on the threat level to this species are valid, but it
is also crucial to take accurate population size assessments into
consideration. Without this baseline data, true population sizes
will remain unknown. Further investigation may continue to
show that this species is more abundant than previously thought
but work will continue in order to fully assess whether this
species is effectively conserved on BLM lands.
Penstemon debilis is a very rare Colorado endemic limited to
a small number of known locations on the Roan Plateau in
Garfield County. It is restricted to specific white shale talus
slopes that are part of the Green River geological formation and
found only in the Piceance Basin. The specific epithet debilis is a
Latin word meaning weak or small, referring to the plant's low-
growing soboliferous habit. It has pale lavender to white flowers
(see figure 2) with distinctive glaucous leaves on prostrate stemsThe small number of known occurrences makes the populations
growing on BLM land particularly important to the survival and
viability of this species. BLM aims to maintain the integrity of
current populations on public land and regular monitoring work
Figure 2. Penstemon debilishabitat and flowers(Photographs: Peter Gordon)
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
3/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 3
has been done at Anvil Points since 2004 to help ensure that
management does not negatively impact this species. A
permanent monitoring plot was set up and the population was
sampled using random transects through the plot. A sample size
calculation was used to determine the necessary number of
transects to ensure the statistical integrity of the data collected.
Results from this work have been positive and show no
significant change in the overall number of stems at the
monitoring site. In addition, the percentage of reproductive stems
for P. debilis plants within the monitoring plot also shows no
significant change between 2004 and 2009. To date these are
positive results, but monitoring will continue in order to measure
the status of this species in the long term.
Penstemon grahamii is a small, but beautiful endemic to the
Uinta basin of Utah and Rio Blanco County, Colorado. Some of
its characteristics include green oval basal leaves with a reddish
margin and glandular pubescence in the inflorescence (see figure
3). When not in flower these characters outside of Colorado,
roughly following the White River and its tributaries in the Uinta
basin of Utah. Inside Colorado, Penstemon grahamii has its only
population protected within the Raven Ridge ACEC in Rio
Blanco County. BLMs work with this species focuses
specifically on long-term population monitoring at a site
originally established by BLM in 1986. The main objective was
to further develop a continuing monitoring project to investigate
the P. grahamii population trend at Raven Ridge from year to
year. Results collected from 2005-2009 have shown that the
current density of plants per square meter matches levels seen in
the same location as far back as 1986. It has also been found that
this holds for the number of rosettes and the number of flowering
stems per square meter - good news indeed for the status of this
species within Colorado considering the threats and impacts it
faces in other parts of its range.
We hope that this small selection of special status plant
projects has helped to introduce BLMs botany program and
some of the contributions made to rare plant conservation in
Colorado. The work done by BLMs botany program helps
ensure that the rare plants of Colorado will be a long lasting
feature on public land in this state.
Resources used for this article:
6840 Special Status Species Management. 2008. Bureau of
Land Management. Department of the Interior
http://www.blm.gov/wo/st/en/info/regulations/Instruction_Me
mos_and_Bulletins/national_instruction/2009/IM_2009-
039.html
Botany Page. 2008. Bureau of Land Management. Department of
the Interior
http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/BLM_Programs/botany.html
Center for Native Ecosystems, et al. 2002. Petition for a Rule to
List Grahams Penstemon (Penstemon grahamii) as
Threatened or Endangered under the Endangered Species
Act. http://nativeecosystems.org/wp
content/uploads/pgrahamiipetitionfinal.doc
Panjabi, S. and D. Anderson. 2006. Penstemon harringtoni
Penland (Harringtons beardtongue): a technical conservation
assessment. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/projects/scp/assessments/penstemonh
arringtonii.pdf
Peter Gordon is a Botanist with the Bureau of Land
Management, and Carol Dawson is State Botanist with th
Bureau of Land Management. Both work at BLMs State Office
in Lakewood.
Figure 3. Penstemon grahamiiin fruit(Photograph: Peter Gordon)
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
4/24
Page 4 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Workshopscontinuesonnextpage
2009 / 2010 WORKSHOPSColorado Native Plant Society workshops are designed for
plant enthusiasts at all levels, from novices to experts.
Workshops are designed to provide an enjoyable learning
experience. We hope you will join us.
Workshops usually begin at 9:00 AM and end by 3:00 PM.
Where applicable, choose between identical sessions 1 or 2.
Driving directions are sent to each participant a few weeks
before each workshop.
Individual chapters may also offer workshops. See Chapter
News and Announcements in this newsletter, or the chapter web
pages at www.conps.org.
Registration Information
Registration is by mail only and requires payment at the time
of registration. The fee for attending a workshop is $25 per session
for members. Non-members must join CoNPS to register for aworkshop. We hope you will join us and enjoy these workshops
with us.
The registration fee is non-refundable. If you register and then
need to cancel, we do ask that you call or e-mail Linda Smith (970-
663-4085 or conpsoffice@aol.com) so she has the opportunity to
fill your spot.
Participation is often limited and registrations are processed
in the order received. If you are interested in registering for a
workshop, you may wish to call Linda to make sure there is room
available before mailing in your registration form and check. If
the workshop has already been filled, you will be notified, your
check will not be deposited, and you will be added to the waiting
list if that is what you desire.
To register, please mail your check (payable to CoNPS) for
$25 per workshop, along with a Registration Form (printed in the
last issue of Aquilegia, or you can find it online at
http://www.conps.org/pdf/Workshops/Workshop%20registration%
202009-2010.pdf.
Registrations should be mailed to CoNPS, Linda Smith, 4057
Cottonwood Drive, Loveland, CO 80538.
Additional details on registration and updates on workshop
offerings are contained on the CoNPS website.
Changes in Field Trips and Workshops
Life sometimes changes the most well-laid plans. In spite oftheir best efforts, field trip and workshop leaders must sometimes
change the arrangements for their programs. Efforts are made to
contact participants if changes occur. Updates are also posted
on our web site at www.conps.org, so participants are
encouraged to check there.
SCHEDULED 2009 2010 WORKSHOPS"EARLY OLD MEN-ERIGERONS OF THE FOOTHILLS"
Leaders: Carla Vik and David Buckner
Location: CSU Extension Service, Community Room of the
Natural Resources Building, 9595 Nelson Road,
Longmont, Colorado
Dates: January 23, 2010, Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 1
January 24, 2010, Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 2
The Colorado Flora Eastern Slope, introduces Erigeron asGreek for early old man: eri, early + geron, old man. The
Foothills early blooming hairy Fleabanes (also called Daisies) are
small and beautiful but hard to identify. Carla, with Davids
assistance, will guide us through many of the species.
Carla Vik has 7 years experience with ESCO Associates as a
plant ecologist and geographic information system specialist. She
studied Erigeron strigosus, Prairie Erigeron, for her masters
thesis. She also studied it in Texas and the Southeast United
States. David Buckner, president of ESCO Associates for 32
years, is well experienced in the Asteraceae and has presented
many workshops on this family.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
5/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 5
Abronia fragrans
USDA-NRCS PLANTS
Database / Britton, N.L.,
and A. Brown. 1913. An
illustrated flora of the
northern United States,
Canada and the British
Possessions. Vol. 2: 33.
"THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: THE
SOLANACEAE IN COLORADO"
Leader: Rich Scully
Location: CSU Extension Service, Community Room of the
Natural Resources Building, 9595 Nelson Road,
Longmont, Colorado
Dates: February 6, 2010, Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 1
February 7, 2010, Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 2
Nine genera of the notorious Nightshade Family grow wild in
Colorado. Cultivated petunia, potato, tomato, and pepper are also
nightshades. Rich will use photos and pressed plants to show us
the identifying characteristics of the genera and its members.
Richard Scully is a serious amateur botanist, who loves a
road trip in Colorado to search out uncommon species, admiring
the geology along the way. He says the best way to learn more
about a group of plants is to give a workshop!
"THE INVADERS: NOXIOUS WEEDS PRESENT AND
NOT YET IN COLORADO"
Leader: Tim DAmato
Location: CSU Extension Service, Community Room of the
Natural Resources Building, 9595 Nelson Road,
Longmont, Colorado
Dates: March 6, 2010, Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 1
March 7, 2010, Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 2
Noxious weeds classified by law as List A plants must be
eradicated on all county, state, Federal, and private lands. Of the
18 plants on the list, nine are not known to exist in Colorado -
yet. Tim will show us these plants so we can recognize any early
threat to our state. He will share the likely routes of invasion.
Other species of concern will be discussed. Stories of weed
control successes and failures will also be told.
Tim DAmato has been involved with weeds since 1986
conducting research or IWM - integrated weed management.
He is currently Weed Coordinator for Larimer County.
Wilderness camping and fishing are serious hobbies. He has a
personal interest in protecting the state from the invading hordes!
"NYCTAGINACEAE OF COLORADO"
Leader: Jennifer Ackerfield
Location: Colorado State University, Yates Building (details
pending), Fort Collins, Colorado
Dates: March 27, 2010, Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 1
March 28, 2010, Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 2
The small family of plants called Four-Oclock is most
attractive when in flower. But the flowers wilt quickly making
identification puzzling when you get home with a disintegrated
plant! Recently, Jennifer has studied the five genera of Four-
O'clocks found in Colorado. She will share her secret that critica
characters for Nyctags identification are on the fruits.
Jennifer Ackerfield is the Collections Manager at the CSU
Herbarium. Last year she presented a workshop onAstragalus.
"FOSSIL PLANTS AND INSECTS FROM CENOZOIC
COLORADO"
Leader: Dena Smith
Location: University of Colorado, Museum Collections
Building (aka Bruce Curtis Building), Room E280, Boulder,
Colorado
Dates: April 10, 2010, Saturday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 1
April 11, 2010, Sunday, 9 AM to 3 PM Session 2
Colorado has had many climates over its geologic history
Which plants and insects have been present during the Cenozoic
Era? This Era is from the end of the Cretaceous and the
extinction of non-avian dinosaurs to the present. The diversity of
angiosperms in this Era exploded -- it could have been called the
"Age of Flowering Plants." Dena will have many specimens fo
us to see, and she will explain how fossil plants help us
understand climate change. She will talk a bit about change
during the Eocene through the Oligocene periods. (Dont worry
- she will keep us on geologic time.)Dena Smith is the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology at the
University of Colorado. Her research focuses on the interaction
between fossil plants and insects; she has on-going field studies
in Colorado, Nevada, and Costa Rica.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
6/24
Page 6 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: MAKING WORKSHOPS HAPPEN
Society workshops are a very popular and exciting part of what we do. Our survey of members in 2007 found not
surprisingly that by far the greatest membership benefit is the opportunity to learn about native plants. Also not
surprisingly, interest in workshops is so high that they can be hard to get into.
But the workshops do not just happen by themselves. They require the contributions of a Workshop Chair, hosts for
individual workshops, presenters, and sometimes others to provide leads and advice.
Our wonderful administrative assistant, Linda Smith, takes on the hard job of coordinating the registrations and
payments, and provides great support for the Workshop Chair and others. But we need volunteers to help with the other
important tasks.
Workshop Chair
The Workshop Chair works with presenters (and potential presenters) to construct and schedule workshops, get word of
them out to members via Aquilegia and the CoNPS website, and other necessary work to assure that the Society presents
interesting, high-quality programs.
Ann Henson has served very capably as Workshop Chair, but is now ready to pass the reins. Ann is willing to assist and
provide orientation, and would be happy to answer any questions you might have about this role. You can contact her at
303-772-8962 or at 2henson@kwabena.us.
So why would you want this job? First, it is crucial to the Societys ability to provide members with learning
opportunities they are looking for. Second, it is a fun challenge -- thinking of ideas and contacting people to give a program.
We often have suggestions from members for topics to consider. And, its great because you get to pursue topics that interest
you!
This isnt something that has to be done by one person alone. The Society has members that are willing to consult
about qualified speakers. The job could be broken into pieces. One or more people could create workshops this winter.
Other people could find a location or host the sessions.
How much work is this? In the past two seasons, the time to construct the workshops took about one weeks evenings
over a short period. Creating the advertising for the newsletter and web page took an afternoon.
This is a crucial and much-valued position. New workshops need to be constructed during the winter of 2010. So, our
need is great and pressing. Please consider this. You may contact Ann or any Board Member to volunteer.
Workshop Hosts
Workshop hosts assure that when you arrive at a CoNPS workshop a friendly face will greet you. The host opens the
building, brings the scopes, makes sure name tags are available, plugs in the tea pot, and brings some treats. The host also
secures materials for the night and repeats the service for the second session when that is planned. Hosting includes checking
in with speakers about a month ahead of their talk and then setting up for each weekend. Call Ann Henson (303-772-8962)
to volunteer.
Workshop Leaders
Many of our members are very knowledgeable and could provide wonderful learning experiences for other members
wishing to expand their plant horizons. Please consider leading a CoNPS workshop in the 2009-2010 season. Contact Linda
Smith (970-663-4085 or email) if you are interested.
Workshop leaders are always in demand. If you are enthusiastic and knowledgeable on a subject that might be of interest to
members, wed like to hear from you. Enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject are needed; academic credentials are not a
re uirement. If ou have uestions on this, or an interest in volunteerin , lease contact the Worksho Chair.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
7/24
Winter 2009 Aquilegia Page 7
Castilleja septentrionalis
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A.
Brown. 1913.An illustrated flora of the northern United
States, Canada and the British Possessions. Vol. 3: 215.
BOOK REVIEW
By Jan Loechell Turner
Common Southwestern Native Plants: An Identification Guide (revised and expanded edition) by Jack L. Carter, Martha A
Carter, and Donna J. Stevens. Silver City, New Mexico: Mimbres Publishing, 2009.
This year a revised edition of the popular identification guide,
Common Southwestern Native Plants (reviewed in Aquilegia
(2003), vol. 27, issue 5, p. 5) has been published with an
attractive new design and twenty new species. For the purposes
of this guide, the authors define the Southwest as Arizona, New
Mexico, west Texas and the Pecos drainage, southern Colorado
and Utah, and the southeastern California deserts.
Jack Carter, author ofTrees & Shrubs of Colorado and Trees
& Shrubs of New Mexico and professor emeritus at Colorado
College, is an expert on willows and other woody plants, and his
expertise can be seen in this guide, which includes sections on
trees, small trees or shrubs, vines, cacti, and agaves. Each species
entry in these sections is typically one to two pages long.
Photographs and botanical illustrations in this book are of high
quality, as is the writing. The common names, scientific names,
synonyms, family, description, distribution, and habitat are given
for each of the species.
In response to readers suggestions, the photos, descriptions
and illustrations for each species are grouped together and some
new photographs and illustrations have been added. Record
holding trees (champion trees) are indicated, botanists who
contributed to knowledge of the species are discussed, and
additional information on the medicinal and edible values of the
plants have been incorporated into the new edition. The scientific
names have been updated, for example, Castilleja chromosa is
now considered Castilleja angustifolia. The authors indicate
family changes that have resulted from DNA analysis, such as
the shift of Castilleja from the Scrophulariaceae to the
Orobanchaceae family. (For more information on family
changes as a result of DNA analysis and a description of the
classification scheme of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, see
Priscilla Spears Tour of the Flowering Plant Families, reviewed
inAquilegia (2009), vol. 33, issue 2, p. 5).
Following the sections on woody plants is a smaller section
on herbaceous plants, with three species per page, arranged
alphabetically by the scientific family name and then by
scientific species name. A photograph of each plant is included
Entries indicate whether the plant is a perennial, annual, orbiennial; habitat; distribution; elevation range; and bloom time
and include something interesting or distinctive about each plant
The guide also contains a lengthy References and Suggested
Readings list, a glossary, illustrated glossary, common name
index, and scientific name index.
The authors, Jack Carter, Martha Carter, and Donna Stevens
are eloquent environmentalists and strong supporters of the use
of native plants in home and commercial landscapes. Educator
Martha Carter, Jacks wife, is proclaimed by Jack to be the
driving force behind this book and is a talented photographerThey have been honored by the New Mexico Native Plan
Society by the establishment of the Jack and Martha Carter
Conservation Fund.
Jan Loechell Turner in on the Board of Directors of CoNPS
is chair of the Research Grants Committee, and an Associate
Professor at the Regis University Library.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
8/24
Page 8 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Mahonia nervosaUSDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
Whos in that Name? continues on next page
WHOS IN THAT NAME?Barton, McMahon, and Pursh
By Al Schneider
Following are brief biographies of Barton, McMahon, and
Pursh, three eminent botanists of the early nineteenth century,
who knew each other, worked together at times, and had
connections to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In the next issue
of Aquilegia, we will look at the botanical life of Meriwether
Lewis.
Benjamin Smith Barton (1766-1815) was a physician,
Professor of Botany at the University of Pennsylvania, author of
Essays Towards a Materia Medica of the United States (1798-
1804), the first book on American medicinal plants, and author of
The Elements of Botany (1803), the first American botany
textbook. Barton was a teacher and benefactor of many botanists
including Frederick Pursh and Thomas Nuttall. Thomas Jefferson
held Barton in such high regard that he asked him to teach
botanical collecting techniques and taxonomy to Meriwether
Lewis prior to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Barton actually
wanted to participate in the Expedition, but he was 37 years old
considered much too old.
Bernard McMahon (1775-1816) was a nurseryman widely
respected for his horticultural knowledge. McMahon is credited
with publishing the first seed catalog in the United States and the
first information about landscape design. Some of the Lewis andClark Expedition planning was done in his home. He was
instrumental in getting Frederick Pursh to work on the
Expeditions botanical collection, and he germinated and
distributed seeds collected on the Expedition. In 1806, he wrote
The American Gardeners Calendar, which became the standard
gardening authority in America, going through eleven editions
until 1857. It is still available. McMahon and Jefferson
corresponded regularly. McMahon forward the newest vegetable
and flower varieties to Jefferson, and Jefferson considered
McMahons Calendar his horticultural Bible. Thomas Nuttallhonored McMahon in the genusMahonia, a new genus collected
by Meriwether Lewis on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Frederick Pursh (1774-1820) was a botanist and plant
collector who came to the United States from Germany in 1799
and who, by 1805, had begun collecting for Benjamin Barton.
Barton, as noted above, had, at the request of President Jefferson,
given botanical training to Lewis, but after the Lewis and Clark
Expedition Barton was unable, because of his health and his
predisposition to procrastination, to fulfill his responsibility to
work on cataloging and describing Lewiss botanical collection
Both Barton and Jeffersons friend, Bernard McMahon, then
suggested having Frederick Pursh organize and describe the
collection. In 1807 Lewis met Pursh, was very impressed, and
paid Pursh about $70 to begin working on the botanical
collection. Pursh completed his work within a few years, but
tragically, Lewis committed suicide in 1809, having himself
written almost nothing about the Expedition and its botanica
collection.
It is still not known what happened to all of the Lewis
botanical collection after Pursh documented and described it. We
know that Pursh returned most of the collection to McMahon and
that Pursh took about four dozen specimens to England where he
intended to combine information about them with his own
collections and the work of many others in his own new
publication on the flora of North America. Pursh apparently did
not properly credit those whose plant collections he used in his
new book, and he actually took credit for finding plants tha
others had discovered. This led him into numerous conflicts
especially with Thomas Nuttall, whose botanical work Pursh
pilfered.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
9/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 9
Purshia tridentataSheri Hagwood @ USDA-NRCS PLANTSDatabase
Pursh was an alcoholic and apparently only the help of his
friends kept him at the task of publishing his new flora. In 1814
he published Flora Americae Septentrionalis, or a Systematic
Arrangement and Description of the Plants of North America,
which included descriptions of 132 specimens from the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. For nearly forty years this two-volume
work was the standard botany of North America. It was
superseded by John Torrey and Asa Grays Flora of North
America.
All but a few of the Lewis and Clark Expeditions botanical
specimens which Pursh had taken with him to England were
eventually returned to the United States. The total number of
Expedition plants known now is about 232, all but eleven (those
in the Kew Gardens Herbarium in London) are in the Academy
of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia where both Lewis and
Pursh began their work on the plants that were collected on the
Expedition.
Pursh died in Canada - young, drunk, impoverished and
forgotten. The genus Purshia was named by Augustin de
Candolle, and in Colorado we have two beautiful Purshia
species: Cliffrose and Bitterbrush, Purshia stansburiana and
Purshia tridentata.
Al Schneider is Vice President of the CoNPS, webmaster of
the Societys web site, and a regular contributor to Aquilegia.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALSTHE JOHN W. MARR AND MYRNA P. STEINKAMP FUNDS
The Colorado Native Plant Society supports research projects
in plant biology from the John W. Marr and Myrna P. Steinkampfunds. These separate funds honor the late Dr. John Marr,
Professor at the University of Colorado and the first President of
the Society, and Myrna Steinkamp, a founding member of
CoNPS who worked on behalf of the Society for many years in a
variety of capacities. Both funds were established to support
research on the biology and natural history of Colorado native
plants by means of small grants. The Steinkamp Fund targets rare
species and those of conservation concern. Both field and
laboratory studies are eligible for funding. Thanks to the
generous contributions of many members and supporters, a totalof nearly $3,000 is available, although individual awards will not
exceed $1,000. Recipients of the awards must agree to
summarize their studies for publication inAquilegia.
The Board of Directors is now soliciting proposals for a
February 15, 2010 deadline. Information on guidelines andrequirements for proposals may be obtained by visiting our web
site at http://www.conps.org/research_grants.html. If your
questions are not answered by our web site, you may contact
Board member Jan Loechell Turner by e-mail a
jlturner@regis.edu or by phone at 303-458-4262.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
10/24
Page 10 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
TAKE A NATIVE PLANT MASTER COURSEColorado State University Extension
Is that wildflower useful for landscaping? Is it native or
noxious? Learning which Colorado wild plants are suitable for
landscaping and which are weeds are just two of the skills that
participants learn in the Native Plant Master Program,
sponsored by Colorado State University Extension. The field-
based courses focus on identification, ecology, and human uses
of Colorado plants. Courses are held at local open space parks
and other public and private lands in various counties across
Colorado. Courses include use of a botanical key with an
emphasis on scientific names and families.
Registration is limited. Applications are due for all county
programs by March 15. Each course consists of three, four-hour
sessions. There is a fee for each course and the cost is reduced
for participants who agree to teach at least 20 people per year per
course about Colorado plants. Participants who pass three
courses and satisfy the teaching requirement become certified
Native Plant Masters.
For more information, visit www.conativeplantmaster.org or
contact the local Colorado State University Extension office in
the following counties directly:
Boulder: (303) 678-6238
Custer: (719) 783-2514
Eagle/Garfield: (970) 328-8630
El Paso: (719) 636-8920
Douglas: (720) 733-6930
Jefferson/Gilpin: (303) 271-6620Larimer: (970) 498-6000
Logan: (970) 522-3200
Mesa: (970) 244-1841
Montezuma: (970) 565-3123
Pueblo: (719) 583-6579
San Miguel: (970) 327-4393
For the latest information on more than 1,000 Colorado
plants, browse the Colorado Plant Database website at
http://coloradoplants.jeffco.us.
Colorado State University Extension empowers county
citizens and enhances their quality of life through educationinnovation and excellence in service. As part of a nationwide
system, Extension brings the research and resources of the
University to your community. For more information, see
http://www.ext.colostate.edu.
AWARD NOMINATIONS REQUESTED
The Board of Directors of the Colorado Native Plant Society
desires to honor contributions to Colorado botany and to the
Society. Service to the Society takes many forms ranging from
an occasional event to significant contributions over a span of
five years or more. Do you know someone who deserves
recognition for their time and effort given to CoNPS? Perhaps
you know an individual who has contributed over a lifetime to
enhancing Colorado botany?
Nominations should be sent to the President, Boyce
Drummond (bdrummond3@msn.com). They are accepted at any
time during the year. Directors of the Society then review and
vote upon nominations at their next meeting.
The awards policy adopted by the Board of Directors in
February 2009 provides for the following types of awards:
Certificate of Appreciation This certificate is awarded to
members or non-members who provide occasional services to the
Society and/or as an outreach tool. In lieu of a certificate or in
addition to a certificate, it may also be in the form of an annual
membership and/or merchandise.
Special Merit Award This plaque is given to members or
non-members for recognition of significant contributions to
Colorado botany and/or significant contributions to the Societys
goals. This is generally given when the contribution is made over
a short period of time (less than five years).
Honorary Lifetime Membership This award is a framed
original artwork, conferring lifetime membership status to an
individual CoNPS member for long-term, high quality service to
the Society. This is generally awarded to members with over ten
years of service to the Society and may be combined with the
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lifetime Achievement Award This award is a framed
original artwork for recognition of members and non-members
long-term (thirty-plus years) contributions to Colorado botany
This award may be combined with the Honorary Lifetime
Membership.
Awards are generally presented at the Annual Meeting of the
Society. If this is not convenient for awardees, other
arrangements are made.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
11/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 11
THANK YOU! Patrick MurphyOne of the highlights of the Annual
Meeting was the presentation of an Honorary
Lifetime Membership to Patrick Murphy for
his many years of enthusiastic management of
the Societys bookstore.
An Honorary Lifetime Membership award
is a framed original artwork, conferring
lifetime membership status to an individual
CoNPS member for long-term, high quality
service to the Society. It is generally awarded
to members with over ten years of service to
the Society.
Patrick Murphy, Honorary Life
Member. Photo by Maria Fernandez.
REPORT TO MEMBERS2009 ANNUAL MEETING
The 2009 Annual Meeting was held at
The Ranch in Loveland and was a great
success with over 170 attendees and an
well thought-out agenda. Those whocould not be there missed 4 (four!) talks
by Dr. William A. Weber a captivating
speaker on any subject. The agenda also
included a challenging, contrarian view of
invasive species by David
Theodoropoulos. It is probably fair to say
that he won few converts to his view, but
most of the listeners found his
unconventional views to be thought
provoking. The entire list of speakersheld the members attention (despite very
hard chairs) in one absorbing presentation
after another.
The entire agenda is posted on the
Societys web site at the Annual
Meeting tab (or see the Annual Meeting
issue ofAquilegia ). On the web site, you
will also find Pam Smiths enthusiastic
retrospective on the meeting she was so
instrumental in planning and conducting.
There are also pictures of the meetingand Sunday field trips to the newly
opened Soapstone Prairie Natural Area
near the Colorado-Wyoming border.
The entire Northern Chapter deserves
our thanks for the great effort to plan and
hold the meeting; conduct a silent auction
(netting over $800 for the Society) and a
poster contest; and arrange for speakers,
lunches, and all the collateral activities
that go with a meeting of this size.It was a job well done!
Election of Board Members
Votes cast at the Annual Meeting
resulted in the election of one new board
member, Carol English. Carol has been
a member of the Metro-Denver Chapter
since 2005. Carol sees a key CoNPS issue
to be continuing to work hard toward
educating the general public about the
importance of native plant species.Jan Loechell Turner was reelected to
another three-year term on the Board of
Directors. She has been a member of the
board since 2004 and serves as chair of
the CoNPS Research Grants Committee
regularly contributes book reviews to
Aquilegia, and served as co-president of
CoNPS with Charlie Turner from
September 2008 to September 2009.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
12/24
Page 12 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Pediocactus knowltonii, colored pencil, Susan Rubin
Sclerocactus mesae-verdae, watercolor by Ann Fleming
RARE, BUT REALLYWELL DONE!by Carol Till
Two years ago I didn't even know there were rare plants in
Colorado. As the new exhibit manager for the Rocky Mountain
Society of Botanical Artists (RMSBA), I was looking for an
exhibit theme. I was inspired by an exhibit our parent
organization (the American Society of Botanical Artists) was
planning on endangered plants of the world. I discovered that
few of our 100 members were entering that exhibit, feeling that
Colorado plants weren't the showy subjects that jurors select. I
discovered the online "Rare Plant Field Guide, Colorado Master
Plant List " link on the Colorado Natural Heritage Program
website and thought that would be an ideal resource for an
exhibit. An exhibition of Colorado rare plants would also fulfill
our mission statement which reads in part: "The RMSBA seeks
to educate the public on plant diversity, regional plant ecology,
and the rationale for preservation of plant species through
botanical art that is relevant to the region."
The exhibit idea soon blossomed into a program with
potential to do far more than create a botanical art display. A
meeting with Betsy Neely of The Nature Conservancy in
February of 2008 introduced me to the Colorado Rare Plant
Conservation Initiative (CRPCI). The opportunity to work with
CRPCI members to promote and conserve rare plants meshed
perfectly with our exhibit program plan.Locations
We hoped to place our exhibit titled "RARE: Imperiled Plants
of Colorado" in four public galleries distributed around the state
for maximum public exposure. The exhibit premiered on March
15, 2009 at the Denver Botanic Gardens, a Center for Plant
Conservation site and home of the Botanical Illustration program
which trained many of our members. The exhibit's second stop
from May 23 to September 30 was the Steamboat Art Museum in
Steamboat Springs. The Museum is located on the main stree
through town and is a highly visible location for summer tourists
The exhibit opened at the Center of Southwest Studies at For
Lewis College in Durango on October 10, where it will remain
through May of 2010. The final exhibit stop will be at the
Business of Art Center in Manitou Springs from July 1 to
September 30, 2010. The Exhibit
We established criteria for an exhibit requiring that al
paintings be of plants from the online Colorado Master Plant
List. We required that all paintings be in color and fit in a
standard frame to make the exhibit uniform and attractive togalleries. Researching the plants and finding plants, photos and
specimens was a difficult task for the artists and couldn't have
been done without the help of local botanists, herbaria staff and
members of the Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative. Our
members were instructed to take utmost care in their research and
not to harm or disturb any living rare plants that they
encountered. The entries were juried for botanical accuracy and
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
13/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 13
Physaria bellii, watercolor, Constance Sayas
artistic quality in December 2008. Forty pieces were selected for
the touring exhibit and framed by our members.
RMSBA put this exhibit together with no outside funding.
Products were produced to help us pay for the costs of insuring,
transporting, and supporting the exhibit. We printed card sets, tee
shirts and prints of the exhibit's illustrations to sell. Denver
Botanic Gardens and Steamboat Art Museum cooperated in
designing and printing a catalog for the exhibit. RMSBA artists
contributed the artwork, Denver Botanic Gardens staff
researched and wrote the copy. The catalog is being sold at the
exhibits, and we have just ordered a second printing of 200
catalogs.Outreach
The exhibits provide an opportunity to talk about
conservation and protection. Members of the Colorado Rare
Plant Conservation Initiative helped produce lectures, tours and
public receptions to enhance the educational experience of the
exhibit. We had over 300 attendees at both the Denver Botanic
Gardens and Steamboat Art Museum opening day receptions.
More events are in the works, and we are grateful for help from
CoNPS members. Having knowledgeable botanists at the
receptions is a wonderful way for exhibit visitors to learn more
about rare plants.
A friend said to me recently that; "No one really needs art."
This exhibit has demonstrated to me that our art can play a role
in helping conservation efforts. Painting a rare plant elevates it to
the level of a portrait. Portraits are painted of the important and
cherished. And our rare plants are both of these things. We hope
that through this exhibit the public will recognize that and help
us to conserve and protect them.
Carol Till is Volunteer Exhibit Coordinator for the Rocky
Mountain Society of Botanical Artists, a chapter of the American
Society of Botanical Artists. The RMSBA web site is a
www.botanicalartists.org. Carol can be contacted a
caroltill@mindspring.com.
RARE: Imperiled Plants of ColoradoExhibit
Calendar
Center of Southwest Studies, Fort Lewis
College1000 Rim Drive, Durango, CO
81301October 10, 2009 through May 31,
2010Business of Art Center513 & 515 Manitou
Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO 80829July 1, 2010
- September 30, 2010Reception, Friday p.m.,
July 2, 2010
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
14/24
Page 14 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
CHAPTER NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
BOULDER CHAPTER
Boulder Chapter programs are held on the second Thursday
of each month (September through April) from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00
p.m. All meetings, except as noted, are held at the Community
Room at the Boulder REI Store at 1789 28th Street (between
Canyon and Pearl). For more information, please email Chapter
President Elizabeth Drozda-Freeman at
ellizabeth.wildflower@gmail.com or call her at 303-586-1810.
Please support zero waste: bring your own cup and plate.
January 14, 2010, 7 PM
PHOTOGRAPHY POWER POINT: COLORADO
WILDFLOWERS
Presenters: Tim and Ann Henson
Location: Boulder REI Community Room
In the depth of winter, we need to remember how beautiful
plants flower every year. This photography show covers most of
the ecosystems across Colorado. We might say, it's just a bunch
of pretty pictures for your enjoyment! But, a biology teacher is
presenting, so there will be a few facts along the way.
Tim and Ann Henson have been observing and caring for
native plants of Colorado for more than 40 years. Ann worked in
agriculture conducting weed control research. Tim taught biology
and geology in the Longmont area. Now retired, Tim has taken
his photography to new levels and watches birds. Ann spends
time teaching in the Native Plant Master program and learningabout lichens. They volunteer for CoNPS, Colorado Natural
Areas Program, Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, and Rare
Plant Monitoring.
February 11, 2010 7 PM
BUTTERFLIES OF UPPER GREGORY AND LONGS
CANYON
Presenters: Steve Jones
Location: Boulder REI Community Room
The unique and diverse plant communities of upper Gregoryand Long Canyons support more than 75 butterfly species,
including 6 swallowtails and a dozen skippers. In early summer
hundreds of fritillaries gather to sip nectar from mints and
coneflowers before laying their eggs in patches of violets. Steve
Jones will present close-up photos of many of these butterflies,
discuss their relationships with host plants, and explore the
potential impacts of human-induced environmental change on the
flora and fauna of these very special canyons.
Steve Jones is author ofThe Last Prairie, a Sandhills Journa
and Owls of Boulder County, and he is co-author of The
Shortgrass Prairie, the Peterson Field Guide to the North
American Prairie, and Wild Boulder County. Steve organized
the first comprehensive small owl and wintering raptor surveys
in the central Rockies and helped plan and carry out the Colorado
Breeding Bird Atlas. His consulting work includes breeding bird
and resource inventories for city, county, and state open space
programs. He has led field trips and taught nature classes for 28
years, and he taught in the Boulder Valley Public Schools for 33
years.
March 11, 2010, 7 PM
THE VEGETATION MONITORING PROGRAM OF
THE BOULDER OPEN SPACE AND MOUNTAIN PARKS
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEM MANAGEMENT PLAN
Presenters: Marianne Giolitto and Lynn Riedel
Location: Boulder REI Community Room
Marianne Giolitto and Lynn Riedel will describe the
vegetation monitoring program that has been developed for the
city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Departmen
Grassland Ecosystem Management Plan implementation. The
Grassland Plan provides viability standards for conservation
targets, including Mixed grass Prairie Mosaic, Xeric TallgrassPrairie, and Mesic Bluestem Prairie, and Wetlands. The GMAP
vegetation monitoring program measures the success in
achieving the viability standards for vegetation composition. An
overview of the sampling design and preliminary data will be
presented.
Marianne Giolitto has a masters degree in applied ecology
from Indiana University and has worked over the last decade in
ecological consulting and wetland delineations in regulated
wetlands. She is currently the ecological monitoring coordinato
for the city of Boulder Open Space and Mountain ParksDepartment.
Lynn Riedel has spent her career in natural areas
management in Colorado, initially working with the Nationa
Park Service. Her academic background is in biology and
science education. Over the last 14 years, she has worked as a
plant ecologist with the city of Boulder Open Space and
Mountain Parks Department.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
15/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 15
Chapters continues on next page
Symphytum officinaleClipart courtesy FCIT
April 8, 2010
PROJECT BUDBURST
Presenter: Sandra Henderson
Location: Boulder REI Community Room
Volunteers across the country are welcoming spring by taking
part in a nationwide initiative, Project BudBurst, which tracks
climate change by recording the timing of flowers and foliage.
Operated by the University Corporation for Atmospheric
Research (UCAR), Chicago Botanic Garden, and University of
Montana, the project is amassing thousands of observations from
students, gardeners, and other citizen scientists to give
researchers a detailed picture of our warming climate. Please join
us to find out more about Project Budburst.
Sandra Henderson, of UCARs Office of Education and
Outreach, is the projects director.
METRO-DENVER CHAPTER
Monthly meetings of the Metro-Denver Chapter are typically
held on the fourth Tuesday of the month (September through
May, except November). Beginning January 2009, Chapter
meetings are being hosted by the Department of Biological
Sciences at the University of Denver (DU), where we will meet
in Olin Hall, located at 2190 E. Iliff Avenue. For more
information, visit www.conps.org or contact Jannette Wesley
(303) 969-2131 (daytime) or (303) 985-5299 (evenings).
December 8, 2009 Tuesday at 7:00 PM
BRISTLECONE PINE ON MT. GOLIAT
Presenter: Dr. Anna Schoettle
Location: Olin Hall, University of Denver, 2190 E. Iliff Ave.,
Room 103
Dr. Anna Schoettle is a Research Scientist at USFS Rocky
Mountain Research Station in Fort Collins, Colorado. She is
studying the ecology and sustainability of bristlecone pine and
limber pine populations in the Rockies and the factors that
threaten them. Anna earned her BS and MS at Cornell University
and PhD at the University of Wyoming. She joined the Rocky
Mountain Research Station in 1985; her research has focused on
high elevation trees and their ecosystems. Recently Anna has
been working to develop proactive strategies to sustain and
conserve high elevation 5-needle pine species in the presence of
white pine blister rust, a lethal disease caused by a non-native
pathogen, and mountain pine beetle in a changing climate.
January 26, 2010 Tuesday at 7:00 PM
NATIVE LANDSCAPE RESTORATION AT THE
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Presenter: Robin Gregory
Location: Olin Hall, University of Denver, 2190 E. Iliff Ave.,
Room 103
Robin Gregory is a Landscape Architect with the National
Park Service, Denver Service Center. She is involved in planning
for the restoration of park lands along roadways throughout the
country.
February 23, 2010 Tuesday at 7:00 PM
GARDENING WITH NATIVE PLANTS
Presenter: Gwen Kelaidis Moore
Location: Olin Hall, University of Denver, 2190 E. Iliff Ave.,
Room 103
Gwen Kelaidis Moore will be the speaker -- more details to
follow.
March 23, 2010 Tuesday at 7:00 PM
THE HISTORIC ROLE OF FIRE IN FOREST AND
GRASSLAND ECOSYSTEMS
Presenter: Tom L. Thompson
Location: Olin Hall, University of Denver, 2190 E. Iliff Ave.,
Room 103
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
16/24
Page 16 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Monarch butterfly caterpillar
ClipartcourtesyFCIT
Chapters continues on next page
Tom L. Thompson is a forester and the past president of the
Society of American Foresters. He will speak about the historic
role of fire in ecosystems and particularly focus on the
historic understanding and use of fire in managing forests and
grasslands. He will discuss the challenges of using fire today,
especially those caused by excessive fuel buildup, insect and
disease mortality, shifts in climate, and interface with human
development. Tom Thompson recently retired as Deputy Chief
of the U.S. Forest Service in Washington, D.C.. He also served
as Deputy Regional Forester in the Rocky Mountain Region from
1989-2001. Mr. Thompson, a native of Colorado, was with the
Forest Service for 37 years and is a graduate of Colorado State
University.
April 2010 (exact date to be announced) Tuesday at 7:00 PM
THE GREAT MIGRATION: MONARCHS OF NORTH
AMERICA
Presenter: Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture, Denver
Botanic Gardens
Location: Olin Hall, University of Denver, 2190 E. Iliff Ave.,
Room 103
Of all natures wonders, one of the most fascinating
phenomenons is the annual migration ritual performed by
Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in North America. What
is amazing is how these tiny creatures, four or five generations
removed, return year after year to the same overwintering
grounds in Mexico. Each fall, millions of Monarch butterflies
make the trip from the eastern United States and Canada each
year to Mexicos southwestern flank of the Transverse
Neovolcanic Mountains congregating in the oyamel fir (Abies
religiosa) forest, ten thousand feet in elevation. No other
butterfly performs such an arduous migration feat as the
Monarch with some individuals traveling up to 2,000 miles.
Saradas talk will feature the Monarch migration and her recent
visit to the Monarch butterfly sanctuaries in central Mexico.
Sarada has a Master of Science degree in Horticulture from
Colorado State University, with a research focus on the
propagation of native Colorado flora specializing in plant tissueculture. She is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of
Colorado, Boulder. Sarada is the author of the book "Butterfly
Gardening: A Guide for Colorado Gardeners."
May 25, 2010 Tuesday
SPRING HIKE
Time and place to be chosen by members.
NORTHERN COLORADO CHAPTER
Except as noted, Chapter meetings are held on the firs
Wednesday of the month (October through April) at 7:00 PM, at
the Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Ave., Fort Collins
Prior to meetings, members are invited to meet at 5:30 PM for
dinner with the speaker at Caf Vino, 1200 S. College Avenue. If
you would like to join us for dinner, please contact Chapter
President Pam Smith at 970-223-3453 or
pamelas4824@earthlink.net. For more information, visi
www.conps.org.
December 2, 2009, 7 PM
DRAGONFLIES, DAMSELFLIES, BUFORD, AND THE
FUTURE OF WALNUTS!
Presented by David Leatherman, Naturalist and retired State
Forest Service Entomologist from Fort Collins.
David will present a program on dragonflies and damselflies
of Colorado. In addition, he will provide updates on both the
current pine beetle epidemic and a new nationwide threat to
black walnuts with ties to Colorado.
January 6, 2010, 7 PM
HORTICULTURAL THERAPY
Presented by Kim Ewy, master gardener, health care
professional and CSU student
Join Kim Ewy to learn about a fascinating new field thatcombines the fields of medicine and gardening into a health care
career option!
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
17/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 17
Amazing Amazon!
Whenever you buy anything through Amazon.com, be
sure to enter Amazon from our CoNPS bookstore at
http://www.conps.org/bookstore.html. CoNPS will then
receive 5-7% of your purchase price. You do not pay
anything extra, nor do you fill out forms you simply enter
Amazon by clicking on any book on our Bookstore page. If
every member did this, the Society would receive several
thousand dollars from Amazon each year.
February 11, 2010 7 PM
JOINT MEETING WITH THE AUDUBON SOCIETY
Topic to be announced.
Note: This is a Thursday evening presentation at the Lincoln
Center.
March 3, 2010, 7 PM
IMPERILED PLANTS OF NORTHERN COLORADO
Presented by Susan Spackman Panjabi, Botanist with the
Colorado Natural Heritage Program at Colorado State University
Susan will be discussing some of Colorados rarest plant
species. Come learn about these threats to these interesting
species, and initiatives underway to help assure their long-term
survival.
April 7, 2010, 7 PM
PLANT BIOGEOGRAPHY OF COLORADO
Presented by Lynnel Rubright, Ph.D., geographer, master
gardener and City of Fort Collins Master Naturalist
Come enjoy an evening of exploration of the biogeography of
plants in Colorado with Dr. Lynnel Rubright.
PLATEAU CHAPTER
Chapter activities are scheduled throughout the year. For
more information, visit www.conps.org or contact Chapter
President Gay Austin at austinaceae@frontier.net or 970-641-
6244.
SOUTHEAST CHAPTER
Activities of the Southeast Chapter are scheduled throughout
the year and are often held in Colorado Springs at the Beidleman
Environmental Center on Caramillo Street, north of Uintah, off
Chestnut. For more information, visit www.conps.org or contac
Ed Roland at 719-676-2179 or edwardrroland@gmail.com.
SAN LUIS VALLEY CHAPTER
Chapter activities are scheduled throughout the year. For
more information, visit www.conps.org or contact Chapter
President Hobey Dixon at 719-589-3813 or pixies@amigo.net.
SOUTHWEST CHAPTER
The Southwest Chapter explores, preserves, and enjoys the
flora of the Four Corners area through activities that are
scheduled throughout the year. We welcome new ideas for field
trips, activities, and programs, and we especially welcome new
members from Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah. For
more information, visit www.conps.org or contact Chapter
President Al Schneider at 970-882-4647.
All meetings and field trips are free and open to everyone
Bring a friend. We always have homemade refreshments.
January 21, 6:30 PM
RARE: IMPERILED PLANTS OF COLORADO
Location: Fort Lewis College Center of Southwest Studies.
A discussion of the exhibit of botanical illustrations with
artists Amy Wendland and Barbara Klema.
March 30, 6:30 PM
HERBARIUM TOUR
Presenter: Botany Professor Ross McCauley
Location: Fort Lewis College with Botany Professor, Ross
McCauley.
Microscope Fund
Members continue to pay off the purchase of the dissecting
microscopes with $8 of the $20 workshop registration fee
going directly to this Fund. We have collected approximately50% of the purchase price in two seasons. You can also
contribute directly to the Fund by mailing contributions,
payable to CoNPS, to P.O. Box 200, Fort Collins, CO 80522.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
18/24
Page 18 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
CHAPTER AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
Two chapters and one committee provided reports at the
November 13 meeting of the Board of Directors. Thanks to all
who help to plan and conduct all these activities, and to the
members who attend!
Southeast Chapter
The first year of the reestablished Southeast Chapter
included four monthly meetings and nine field trips, including
excursions to the Comanche Grasslands, the Sangres, Spanish
Peaks and Emerald Valley near Cheyenne Canyon.
In 2010, five meetings are scheduled with topics like "the life
cycles of the Pinacea" and a digital photography seminar.
The Chapter plans to repeat, if not increase, the number of
field trips, including the grass morphology field trip that was
very popular in 2009. Other trips are yet to be determined.Some objectives for 2010 are (1) scientific documentation of
trips with digital photography, species lists and herbaria
vouchers, (2) creation of a "Virtual Field Trip" Internet site with
digital photography uploads (for those who couldn't make the
real trip), and (3) an Internet nexus for people who want to get
together for impromptu field trips with no specific leader.
Southwest Chapter
The Southwest Chapter had twelve field trips this summer,
and three well-attended programs in the 2008-2009 season.
The Chapter has been active in a number of projects, including:
(1) working with the Natural Areas Program of the State of
Colorado to protect an area that is home to two rare Colorado
plants; (2) working with BLM to place informational signs in
Colorado Plateau hanging garden alcoves to help educate the
public about protecting the plants; (3) working with the Fort Lewis
College Center of Southwest Studies in their exhibit hall and
helping to sponsor the new exhibit, "RARE: Imperiled Plants of
Colorado" (featured elsewhere in this issue ofAquilegia); (4)
working with the Colorado Mountain Club in its efforts to
build trails on sections of Engineer Mountain; (5) working to
protect several recently discovered rare species in Lone Mesa State
Park that are threatened by a proposed dam on Plateau Creek; and
(8) running free wildflower programs in Durango and Cortez.
Education and Outreach Committee
The E&O committee, led by John Vickery, presented a
program entitled "Natural Areas Vegetation Management in
Local Government Park Systems in the Colorado Front Range:
an ecological approach" to about 50 people at the Colorado Open
Space Alliance annual meeting in September. This involved a
formal presentation as well as facilitated breakout sessions. Themain themes of this presentation included the challenges of plan
community management in urban/ex-urban settings, issues in
restoration and weed management (ecological services of weeds
plant materials selection as cultural control, and livestock grazing
as biological control) and specific case studies (prioritizing weed
management in natural areas/open space systems, vegetation
management in prairie dog towns, and novel habitats/plan
communities).
John Vickery and Megan Bowes are currently working on a
separate presentation for the Native Plants Committee of theColorado Weed Management Associations annual meeting in
December. "Weeds on the Wild Side" will detail how to recognize
and evaluate native plant communities, including the identification
of early feral species. John and Megan are also gearing up for a
slightly modified version of the Vegetation Managemen
presentation at the ProGreen Expo in February. John is continuing
to develop a list of "Prairie Dog Survivors", tenacious natives and
non-noxious, non-native plants that tolerate or flourish in prairie
dog colonies. Expect to see the link to this document and the
related wiki on the E&O webpage soon. Finally, a native plan
materials selection document is also on the horizon.
Society Workshops
As detailed in the last issue ofAquilegia, a full season of
seven workshops has been scheduled. See elsewhere in this issue
for the ones yet to take place in the coming months. Thanks to
Ann Henson, Linda Smith, and all who have stepped up to lead
and support the workshops!
Chapter Programs
In addition to those that have already come and gone, sixteen
chapter programs have been scheduled (see Chapter News and
Announcements and back cover) for December through April
Thanks to all the chapter presidents, members, and presenters for
a great variety of programs and all the work to make them
happen!
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
19/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 19
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY!
Website Assistance
Do you have an hour or two you can spare to
assist with proofreading the CoNPS website?
Would you enjoy browsing through Amazons
books on botany to add titles to the botanical
books listed on the CoNPS web site? If you
would like to assist with either of these two
valuable services (in your home whenever you
have the time), please volunteer by e-mailing or
calling the webmaster at webmaster@conps.org
or 970-882-4647.
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
Birgit Arvin
Robin Bay
Penny Bieber
Brock Bowles
Sandra BrayGerald Bresowar
Wendy Covert
John Du Waldt
Jim Erdman
Terry & Don Erickson
Betty R Forrest
Germaine French
Daniel Hail
Mariska Hamstra
William & Cindy Henk
Shalene HillerBob Jondle
Kevin Kovacs
Ben Legler
Brooke Lyons
Bruce MacBryde
Ellen Mayo
Mitchell McGlaughlin
Clyde McKinney
Cary Meister
Barbara Mullen
Lynne PriceMary Richardson
Lynn Rubright
Allison Shaw
Loretta Simms
Aaron Keller & Emily
Thorn
Carol Till
Shirley Van Riper
Cheryl Vestal
Peter O'Brien & Elaine
VickersSharon Williams.
THE CoNPS WEBSITEwww.conps.org
A wide variety of information, both interesting and useful, awaits you on
the Societys website at www.conps.org.
You are invited to browse for information about native plants, including
plant lists and keys, news from the botanical front, and more. Click on the
Links button to find resources ranging from taxonomy and nomenclature to
Colorado gardening with native plants. There are a host of sites maintained by
other organizations the native plant societies of other states, Colorado and
national conservation organizations, wildflower societies, Federal and state
agencies the list is too long to do full justice here.
A variety of botanical slide shows can be found, as well as sites to aid in the
identification of trees, wildflowers, and other plants.
Society news is an important part of the website. Information and updates
on workshops, field trips, and activities are posted and updated when things
change. Issues of Aquilegia back to 2003 have been posted on the web.
So, on the next winter day when you wish you could be out slogging,
trekking, tramping, meandering, moseying, or otherwise out on the ground
sleuthing out native plants (but you cant because everything is under a foot of
snow), just sit down at your computer and check out the website.
And while youre there if you find links that arent working, errors that
need to be fixed, or have other suggestions to improve the website, pleasecontact the webmaster, Al Schneider, at webmaster@conps.org. The task of
keeping the website current is a big one, and your help in identifying any
problems will be appreciated.
Future issues of Aquilegia will highlight additions to the web site that may
be of interest to members. In the meantime, you might want to check out the
Botanical Slide Shows tab and see great photographs of all the Botrychiums,
Orchids, and Physarias of Colorado and more!
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
20/24
Page 20 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
AQUILEGIA! NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
With this issue, we are launching several efforts to emphasize
opportunities for more members to be actively involved in the
Society, and to increase the amount of information that all
members receive.
Volunteer opportunities: Beginning with this issue,
Volunteer Opportunities will be more conspicuously highlighted.
Elsewhere in this issue, you will see calls for volunteers as:
Workshop Chair
Workshop or field trip leader
Workshop host
Presenter at Education and Outreach programs and events
Website reviewer
These are just a small smattering of the opportunities the
Society has. In future issues, we will highlight more.
A healthy Society will have the involvement of many of its
members. The phrase volunteer opportunity is not an
oxymoron. We invite you to become involved if you havent
been, and more involved if you have.
Partnerships: Partnerships and cooperative efforts are
crucial to achieving conservation goals. Beginning with this
issue, we will provide the opportunity for our partners to share
what they are doing. This issue kicks this series off with an
article from Peter Gordon and Carol Dawson, both with the
Colorado State Office of the Bureau of Land Management.
Society accomplishments: Now and again, it is good for anyorganization to take note of what it has accomplished. Elsewhere
in this issue, you will find a sampling of some of the things done
by the Southeast and Southwest chapters, and by the Education
and Outreach Committee. In future issues, we plan to continue
this with accomplishments of other chapters and committees.
More conversation with members. For many reasons, we
will not have highly visible involvement from all of our
members. From the less visible membership, we welcome your
thoughts, such as:
Ideas for articles Ideas for workshops and field trips
Comments and feedback (including corrections and
critique) of articles or material inAquilegia
Suggestions for improvement toAquilegia
One area in which we can specific benefit from your ideas and
feedback is assuring that we keep a statewide perspective. We
have a membership that is demographically concentrated along the
Front Range from Denver to Fort Collins. But plant-wise and
habitat-wise, that is not the way Colorado is. We especially
encourage members in all the other areas to contribute to the
newsletter and help us to keep our focus statewide and even over
the four straight lines on the Colorado map.
Society members represent a wide spectrum of backgrounds
with regard to plants ranging from doctorates to casual
hobbyists or those who simply have an interest in plants. We
think we can meet the challenge of providing knowledgeable and
informative newsletter that addresses the many interests of our
readers. If we are not meeting yours, wed like to hear from you,
along with your suggestions.
Any of your ideas can be relayed to the editor, your chapter
president, or any Board Member (see list on the next-to-last page
of the newsletter).I appreciate the opportunity to be your editor and look
forward to receiving your ideas and your help in increasing the
appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora.
Bob Henry
Editor, Aquilegia
Coming Soon!In 2010, we will add some new
features to Aquilegia, including:
A series of articles on plants with known historical
occurrences in Colorado, but which have not been
observed in recent years. Several members have been
involved in e-mail conversations on how to pursue this
idea, which was suggested by Susan Spackman Panjabi.
A series on very common, dominant, or keystone
plants (such as plains cottonwoods, pinyon and juniper,
ponderosa pine and others) that are so ordinary that we
tend to overlook their importance in healthy ecosystems.
It is the premise of this series that we have much to learn
by looking at things as obvious as the back of yourhand. Writing these relatively brief articles is another
volunteer opportunity.
Al Schneider will conduct interviews with botanical
notables in Colorado and surrounding region. These
would be in the vein of interviews with Dr. Weber that we
have printed in the past.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
21/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 21
Pinus ponderosaUSDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton,N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated floraof the northern United States, Canada andthe British Possessions. Vol. 1: 57.
AQUILEGIA AVAILABLE BY E-MAIL
Did you know thatAquilegia is available electronically? You
could receive your issue ofAquilegia as a pdf file by e-mail.
This saves the Society postage as well as paper. The Membership
Chair (not the newsletter editor) makes this possible for you.
Please submit your request to change from paper to electronic
delivery to Eric Lane at ericmlane@yahoo.com or call 303-239-
4182.Be sure to include your e-mail address!
AQUILEGIA DEADLINE APPROACHESSubmit Contributions by December 15
Chapter presidents, committee chairs, and others responsible
for submitting information on Society activities and events are
reminded that the deadline for the next issue (Spring issue) is
December 15.
As you submit updates and new information of events to the
Webmaster, please copy the Aquilegia editor so that we can keep
the newsletter and website as consistent as possible. The editor
and webmaster will try to keep this straight, but your help is very
much needed and appreciated.
Suggestions from chapter presidents, committee chairs, and
members on ways to make our communication most effective
and to keep our communication chores as simple as possible are
always welcome.
THANK YOU! Leo Bruederle
Over the past years, it has been the good fortune of the Society to have had the
abilities and commitment of Leo Bruederle as a member and officer. At various
times and sometimes at the same time Leo served as President of the Society,
led field trips and workshops, actively participated in the Field Studies committee,
and very notably to the readers of this newsletter served as the capable editor of
Aquilegia.
After patiently awaiting the completion of the transition to a new editor, Leo is
now focusing his full-time attention on the considerable duties of Chair of the
Department of Integrative Biology at UC-Denvers College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences, as well as to his ongoing research.
Those who are interested in Leos research interests in plant systemics and
evolution and his achievements can find them at
http://thunder1.cudenver.edu/clas/biology/faculty/lbruederle.html. (You also will
be treated to an imaginative portrait.)
We appreciate Leos contributions to the Society, wish him well, and hope to
see him at future events!
Thank you, Leo!
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
22/24
Page 22 Aquilegia Volume 33 Number 5
Aquilegia canadensis
Clarence A. Rechenthin @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
AquilegiaNewsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society
Aquilegia is the newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant
Society, and is available to members of the Society and to others
with an interest in native plants. Past issues from 2003 to the
present are available on the Societys website at
http://www.conps.org/newsletter.html.
Deadlines
Submissions to Aquilegia are accepted throughout the year,
although deadlines for publication are January 15 for the winter
edition, April 15 for the Spring edition, July 15 for the Summer
edition, and October 15 for the Fall edition.
Submission guidelines
Announcements, news, articles, book reviews, poems,
botanical illustrations, and other contributions are requested for
publication. Articles in a range from 500 to 2000 words in length
are welcome, but content is more important than word count.Proposals for periodic columns or content are also welcome.
Those submitting material should write for an audience that is
universally interested in native plants of Colorado and
surrounding areas. Society members are well-educated and
intellectually curious, but have wide variations in their formal
botanical backgrounds. These range from a significant number of
members with doctorates or other advanced degrees in botany,
biology, and related fields to a large number of others without
botanical backgrounds who are plant enthusiasts, gardeners and
landscapers, nature-enjoyers, hikers, gardeners, and others whosimply appreciate native plants and want to learn more. This
presents a challenge to the writer but an enjoyable one.
Please refer to a previous edition of Aquilegia for guidelines
(these can be readily obtained online see above). However, you
need not be overly precise about format as text will be formatted
during editing and layout for consistency of style. Dr. William A
Webers nomenclature for the scientific names of plants should
be followed, italicized and capitalized properly. Please proofread
all material carefully and use spell check.
Other guidance:
Previously published articles submitted for reprinting
require permission.
Digital photographs or line drawings are also solicited
Be sure to include credit for images.
Please include authors name, address, and affiliation in
all contributions.
Please submit all contributions as Word attachments to
prairieink@aol.com.
All contributions are subject to editing for brevity and
consistency, with final approval of material changes by the
author.
Articles from Aquilegia may be used by other native plan
societies or non-profit groups, if fully cited to author and
attributed toAquilegia.
Please direct questions or comments regarding newsletter
contributions and content to the editor, Bob Henry, a
prairieink@aol.com.Please direct all questions or comments regarding layout to
Kim Regier, at Kimberly.regier@ucdenver.edu.
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
23/24
Volume 33 Number 5 Aquilegia Page 23
Colorado Native Plant SocietyThe Colorado Native Plant Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and
conservation of the Colorado native flora. Membership is open to all with an interest in our native plants,
and is composed of plant enthusiasts both professional and non-professional.
Please join us in helping to encourage interest in enjoying and protecting Colorados native plants. The
Society sponsors field trips , workshops, and other activities through local chapters and statewide. Contact
the Society, a chapter representative, or committee chair for more information.
OFFICERSPresidentBoyce Drummondbdrummond3@msn.com970-690-7455
Vice PresidentAl Schneiderwebmaster@conps.org970-882-4647
TreasurerMo Ewingmoewing@q.com
(303) 584-8925
SecretaryAnn Henson2henson@kwabena.us303-772-8962
Administrative AssistantLinda Smithconpsoffice@aol.com719-574-6250
CHAPTER PRESIDENTSBoulderElizabeth Drozda-Freemanelizabeth.wildflower@
gmail.com303-443-9460
Northern ColoradoPam Smithpamelas4824@earthlink.net970-223-3453
Metro-DenverVickey Trammellvjrtrambo@q.com303-795-5843
PlateauGay Austinaustinaceae@frontier.net970-641-6264
SoutheastEd Rolandedwardrroland@gmail.com719-676-2179
SouthwestAl Schneiderwebmaster@conps.org970-882-4647
San Luis ValleyHobie Dixonpixies@amigo.net719-589-3813
BOARD OF DIRECTORSCarol English (12)grownative@msn.com303-697-3349
Catherine Kleier (10)ckleier@regis.edu303-817-6814
Sarada Krishnan (09)krishnas@botanicgardens.org303-465-4274
Brian Kurzel (10)
Brian.Kurzel@state.co.us303-866-3203 ex 301
Jenny Neale (10)NealeJR@gmail.com720-865-3562
Laurel Potts (09)kalmia127@earthlink.net970-524-3377
Robert Powell (11)robertpowell@durango.net970-385-8949
Jan Turner (12)
jlturner@regis.edu303-458-4262
Charlie Turner (11)turner@
rabbitbrushpublishing.com720-497-1093
Steve Yarborough (11)steveandkenna@msn.com303-233-6345
STANDING COMMITTEESConservationTom Grantmetag3@gmail.com720-530-5290
Education & OutreachMegan Bowesbowesm@
bouldercolorado.gov303-561-4883
Field StudiesSteve Popovichstevepopovich@hotmail.com970-295-6641
Field TripsBrian KurzelBrian.Kurzel@state.co.us303-866-3203 ex 301
Horticulture & RestorationLaural Pottskalmia127@earthlink.net970-524-3377
MediaBoyce Drummondbdrummond3@msn.com970-690-7455
MembershipEric Laneeric.lane@ag.state.co.us303-239-4182
Research GrantsJan Turner
jlturner@regis.edu303-458-4262
SalesLinda Smithconpsoffice@aol.com719-574-6250
WorkshopsAnn Hensen2henson@kwabena.us303-772-8962
MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION AND RENEWAL FORM
Name(s) ____________________________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________________
City __________________________ State ________ Zip __________
Phone ___________________ E-mail ________________________________
Chapter: _____ Boulder _____ Metro-Denver _____ Northern _____ Plateau
_____ San Luis Valley _____ Southeast _____ Southwest
DONATION
$________ General Fund
Endowments in support of small grants-in-aid of research:
$________ John Marr Fund: research on the biology and natural history of Colorado native plants.
$________ Myrna P. Steinkamp Memorial Fund: research and other activities that will benefit the rare plants of Colorado.
Mail to: Eric Lane, PO Box 200, Ft. Collins, CO 80522 DUES AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX-DEDUCTIBLE
MEMBERSHIP CLASS
Dues cover a 12-month period
___ Individual, $20.00
___ Family/dual, $30.00
___ Senior, $12.00
___ Student, $12.00
___ Organization, $30.00
___ Supporting, $50.00
___ Lifetime, $300.00
8/9/2019 Winter 2009 Aquilegia Newsletter, Colorado Native Plant Society
24/24
CALENDAR 2009
Details of chapter programs and Society workshops can be found
inside or at www.conps.org.
CHAPTER PROGRAMS
Boulder Chapter
Jan 14 Colorado Wildflowers
Feb 11 Butterflies of Gregory and Longs Canyon
Mar 11 Vegetative Monitoring Program
Apr 8 Project Budburst
Metro-Denver Chapter
Dec 8 Bristlecone Pine on Mt. Goliat
Jan 26 Native Landscape Restoration
Feb 23 Gardening with Native Plants
Mar 23 The Historic Role of Fire
Apr TBD Great Migration: Monarchs of N. Amer.
Northern Chapter
Dec 2 Dragonflies, Dam